


Fifteenth... Birthday? Guys? Where'd Everybody Go?

by HeroCrafter



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Amethyst Has ADHD, Autistic Garnet (Steven Universe), Autistic Pearl (Steven Universe), Autistic Peridot (Steven Universe), Autistic Ruby (Steven Universe), Autistic Sapphire (Steven Universe), Autistic Steven Universe, Bird Mom Pearl, Connie Maheswaran Has Anxiety (Steven Universe), Everyone Is Gay, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Garnet is Mom Cubed, Gen, He/Him Pronouns for Steven Universe, Hurt/Comfort, Lapis Lazuli Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Nonbinary Sour Cream (Steven Universe), Nonbinary Steven Universe, Other, Polyamorous Pearl (Steven Universe), Post-Episode s05e29-32 Change Your Mind, Steven Universe has ADHD, Steven likes hugs, They are merely both dating Pearl, They/Them Pronouns for Sour Cream (Steven Universe), Trans Lars (Steven Universe), but Garnet and Amethyst are not dating, you cant change my mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 06:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20774288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeroCrafter/pseuds/HeroCrafter
Summary: It's Steven's birthday, but the gems are nowhere to be found. What's going on?





	Fifteenth... Birthday? Guys? Where'd Everybody Go?

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know that's a lot of characters, no they will not be actually mentioned much, I actually sorta just tried to go in order of the ships I tagged. This started as me trying to explore the difference between the character of Garnet herself, and then Ruby and Sapphire. But while I was trying to make an excuse for Mom Cubed to be talking to Steven, plot accidentally happened.

Steven was sad, and that’s not fun on a day like today. It was his fifteenth birthday! Not only was it his birthday, but Garnet and all the gems had been _extra_ mysterious about what they were gonna do for the day. All of the gems were gone- Lapis, Bismuth, Pearl, and Garnet too! Everyone, even the Off Colors! So yeah, he was disappointed that no one was there when he woke up- heck, it was already two p.m. and they still weren’t back- but all the humans of Beach City loved Steven. Jenny, Buck, and Sour Cream took him out on a hike in the forest to show him a cool cave they all found, full of those flowers that bloomed from his mother’s moss. They drove back to Beach City and picked up Lars, and then got lunch at Fish Stew Pizza. Nanafue was there, and said it was on the house! Kiki gave him a _fresh_ new tie, with her and “Dream Warrior Steven” back to back as the repeating pattern on it. Lars gave Steven a fresh Birthday Donut that he and Sadie had made that morning, and said Sadie was really sorry she couldn’t celebrate with him, but her mom was driving her off to some old friend’s wedding. Being Steven, he laughed it off and said it was fine, and yes, the donut was delicious. On his walk back to the temple, Peedee gave him a bunch of the Bits! And they were the really good bits too, all the crunchy fresh ones. He said Ronaldo had wished him a happy birthday, “and many more mysterious ones.” Whatever that means. Steven said thanks, and waved goodbye. By the time he reached the edge of the boardwalk, he realised he’d forgotten his phone back at Fish Stew Pizza!  


“That’s weird… I didn’t even take it out of my pocket… there’s no way I could have left it behind…” Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him, and who was there but Sour Cream themself.  


“Hey, my fellow nb pal! Whatcha need?” Sour Cream didn’t say a word, which wasn’t exactly unusual, but they did hold out his phone.  


“So I DID forget it at Fish Stew Pizza! Man, thanks Sour Cream!” He took his phone, and checked his notifications; a _Kowalski, analysis_ meme about Pearl from Amethyst- “that’s an old one. Thought I wouldn’t know, huh? Oh, sorry Sour Cream. Wait, they already left-” a new conspiracy post about his mom’s flowers, Lion, and Lars from Ronaldo’s blog, a- a voicemail from Connie! He played it on speaker while walking back to the temple, his heart sinking with each word.  


“Hey Steven! I’m so sorry I can’t be there today. It was apparently a family thing today, and it was my dad’s plan, and you _know_ how bad he is with keeping track of important dates, and he was so proud of himself for planning it all and getting my mom to love the plan and everything! I really wish I could be in both places at once, but I can’t. And we all know how time travel goes, so that’s not exactly an option. I’m so so sorry I have to miss this, Steven! But I’ll make it up to you, I promise! Mom said that tomorrow my curfew was lifted to being in the temple by midnight, and home the next day by 1! Tomorrow we can spend the whole day together, I even checked with Garnet and she said that there wouldn’t be any mission that they need you for, and Bismuth, Pearl, Peridot, and Lapis are going to take care of any Homeworld stuff that might come up! I gave your dad the gift I was gonna give you when he came over with Pearl last night to talk to my mom about space camp, so he’ll give it to you today. I’m so sorry I can’t give it to you in person, Steven. But like I said, I’ll make it up to you! Oh God I’ve been rambling for so long, I’ve gotta go! See you tomorrow! Love you, Steven!” Oh my stars, she SAID THAT!  


“Love you too, Connie,” he mumbled, blushing as fiercely as Ruby had when she and Sapphire had their first talk about fusion. Wait… speaking of Ruby and Sapphire… Connie said she talked to Garnet? When did _that_ happen? Garnet’s been gone all day, along with all the rest of the gems, and Steven was extra excited and woke up at seven a.m. even though it was summer! When on Earth did she get to talk to Garnet?  


Steven mumbled, upset and just a little tired of all the suspicion surrounding his family going behind his back- were they even doing that? Connie said she gave his present to Greg last night, and Pearl was there, and Pearl _never_ loses track of the date or anything important concerning Steven, she’s very organised and particular and gets upset with a sudden change in plans. It’s what first tipped him off that she was autistic like him. So she had to have known. So then… where was she? Where was any of his gem family? It’s his birthday, and he really just wants a hug from his moms, sister, friends, and beach summer fun buddy. Hugs were awesome, Garnet’s Tight Hugs were the _actual best thing ever, they were literal pressure stimming heaven,_ and that’s all he really wanted today. So where were people?...  


Steven sighed, dejected and upset. He pushed open the screen door, his new height allowing to be right at the perfect height to walk smack into Lion’s face.  


“Lion? What are you doing here?” Lion flicked his tail impatiently, and turned to hop onto the warp pad. Steven followed, not knowing at all where they were supposed to be going. Could Lion use the warp pad? But then why not just use his portals? Or, why use his portals when they make him so tired if he can just use the warp pads? Did Garnet teach him? Where was Garnet? Did Amethyst know he could? Where was she? Where was Pearl? Oh, no, did someone get hurt again? Did Amethyst get cracked?! Steven was getting anxious and worked up again, the last time that happened was Homeworld a few weeks ago when White was being just Too Much and Garnet didn’t see it coming and- calm down, calm down, calm down. Pearl is _fine,_ Pinky is okay, he healed her, they’re both _fine, come on this is just **dumb already they’re FINE THEY’RE FINE-**_  


Steven stumbled off the warp pad, clutching at his hair, tugging, oh stars he was crying again wasn’t he and he couldn’t stop they got hurt they were almost shattered and Pinky didn’t deserve that and Garnet wasn’t _there_ and Pearl almost got smashed by White and _they almost got hurt-_  


Something warm wrapped around him, and gentle, soothing voices kept saying _it’s okay, it’s alright._ But it’s not, it’s not okay, Pearl and Pinky were both almost _hurt_ and Steven couldn’t _do anything_ and Garnet almost didn’t get there to _stop it-_  


Warm hands gently tugged on his, pulling his hands away from his hair. The warm around him moved and got smaller when he heard a familiar noise that reminded him of _moving_ of _change_ of _shift,_ and another body- two- came and wrapped around him. They were colder, less warm, and taller but thin but it was _familiar_ and _welcome_ and _home._ The warm hands connected to warm arms and a warm body and they all wrapped around him and almost squeezed and there was so much pressure and _warm_ and stars it was so _nice._ His tears had stopped, and he melted into the hug, just taking the chance to stop _thinking_ to stop _moving_ to stop _worrying._  


“Steven? Are you alright?” He looked up, and there was Garnet, visor off, tears in her eyes. Darn it. Steven crying always made Garnet cry. She might not show it much, but she was really high empathy. He felt more than saw that Amethyst, Pearl, and Lapis were the other ones hugging him. Looking around, he saw that Amethyst and Pearl had concern in their eyes, like he expected. Lapis did too, but… there was understanding there too. He wasn’t surprised; even if it was for different reasons, Lapis had recently had her own sort of attack after a nightmare. Bismuth was there to talk her down from it, and Bismuth hugs are great hugs.  


"Steven? It's me. Are you alright, Steven? Please, answer me." Oh no, he worried Garnet again.  


"I- I'm okay, Garnet. Really." He looked her in the eyes, or at least tried to. She had three, after all. She smiled softly. He grew, sure, but she could still pick him up, and so she did.  


"Come on. We got something to show you." He was glad she kept hugging him. It was nice. And it meant he was able to see over her shoulder and watch Peridot tackle Lapis with hugs to make her laugh, and Amethyst was hugging Pearl. Cute.  


"Steven, turn around." So he did, it’s not exactly like he would just _not listen_ to his mom- er, Garnet. And in front of him was all of Beach City! Mr. Dewey, the Cool Kids, the Frymans, the Pizzas, Lars, Sadie, Connie and the Maheswarans! All of the gems, too! Bismuth, the Off Colors, Centipeetle, even Jasper!  


"Happy birthday, Steven!"


End file.
